Can someone clarify (and I'm not hating on your thread, eja, I'm just wondering) what "tough" means? Tough as in good? Do you have to be tough to be good no matter what your role on this planet is? Even as the Prez of the US of A. You're not the one fighting the wars. What reason is there, then, to be "tough"? Oh, well. My two...
Teeeeeecccchhhhnnniiicccaaallllyyy there are many US presidents that served or fought in wars.
Just off the top of my head
Washington
Grant
Harrison
McKinley
Roosevelt
Ike
Kennedy
Bush
Taylor
Carter (I think....naval academy, right?)
Madison
W Bush in Texas Air National Guard during Nam.
Plus there are tons of Euros who are proud of toughness. Churchill, Kruchev, Napoleon, De Gaule, Putin, all those kings like Richard the Lionheart.....toughness happens